# US 10,370,248 B2 · Maximizing steam methane reformer combustion efficiency by pre-heating pre-reformed fuel gas

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,370,248 B2
- Document ID: US10370248B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/417,930
- Filed: 2017-01-27
- Published: 2018-08-02
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-01-27
- Assignees: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude; Et L'Exploration Des Procedes Georges Claude
- Applicants: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
- Inventors: Taekyu Kang; Rong Fan; Pavol Pranda; Robert A. Gagliano; Benjamin J. Jurcik, Jr.
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370248B2

## CPC

- C01B 3/36: using oxygen; using mixtures containing oxygen as gasifying agents
- B01D 53/047: Pressure swing adsorption
- B01D 53/265: {by refrigeration (condensation)}
- C01B 3/382: Processes with two or more reaction steps, of which at least one is catalytic, e.g. steam reforming and partial oxidation
- C01B 3/384: with external heating of the catalyst
- C01B 3/56: by contacting with solids; Regeneration of used solids
- C10L 3/103: {Sulfur containing contaminants}
- B01D 2256/16: Hydrogen
- B01D 2257/502: Carbon monoxide
- C01B 2203/0227: containing a catalytic reforming step
- C01B 2203/0255: containing a non-catalytic partial oxidation step
- C01B 2203/0283: containing a CO-shift step, i.e. a water gas shift step
- C01B 2203/042: Purification by adsorption on solids
- C01B 2203/043: Regenerative adsorption process in two or more beds, one for adsorption, the other for regeneration
- C01B 2203/047: the impurity being carbon monoxide
- C01B 2203/0811: by combustion of fuel
- C01B 2203/0883: by indirect heat exchange
- C01B 2203/1241: Natural gas or methane
- C01B 2203/1258: Pre-treatment of the feed
- C01B 2203/127: Catalytic desulfurisation
- C01B 2203/141: At least two reforming, decomposition or partial oxidation steps in parallel
- C01B 2203/142: At least two reforming, decomposition or partial oxidation steps in series
- Y02P 20/129: Energy recovery, e.g. by cogeneration, H2recovery or pressure recovery turbines
- C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C}
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- C10L: FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G OR C10K; LIQUIFIED PETROLEUM GAS; USE OF ADDITIVES TO FUELS OR FIRES; FIRE-LIGHTERS
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

An improved hydrogen generation system and method for using the same are provided. The system includes an HDS unit configured to remove sulfur, a first and second pre-reformers configured to pre-reform a process gas and fuel gas, respectively, a first and second heat exchangers configured to dry and heat the pre-reformed fuel gas, respectively, and a reformer configured to produce a syngas and flue gas. The method includes using a process stream selected from the group consisting of air, PSA off-gas, hydrocarbon gas, and combinations thereof to dry the fuel gas and using a process stream selected from the group consisting of the flue gas, the syngas, and combinations thereof to heat the dry fuel gas. The second pre-reformer is a low-pressure pre-reformer, so that the heat contents of the fuel gas is increased through converting heavy hydrocarbons in the fuel gas to CO and H2 by the second pre-reformer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for improving thermodynamic efficiency in a hydrogen generation system, the method comprising the steps of:
a) desulfurizing a hydrocarbon to form a process gas stream and a fuel gas stream in a hydrodesulfurization (HDS) unit;
b) pre-reforming the process gas stream in a first pre-reformer at a first pressure in the presence of steam under conditions effective to form a pre-reformed process gas stream;
c) pre-reforming the fuel gas stream in a second pre-reformer at a second pressure in the presence of steam under conditions effective to form a pre-reformed fuel gas stream, wherein the first pressure is larger than the second pressure;
d) drying the pre-reformed fuel gas stream by cooling the fuel gas stream to a temperature below the dew point of water thereby producing a dry fuel gas stream;
e) heating the dry fuel gas stream to form a heated dry fuel gas stream; and
f) converting methane within the process gas stream into carbon monoxide and hydrogen, thereby producing a syngas stream in a reaction zone of a reformer and a flue gas stream in a combustion zone of the reformer through combusting the heated dry fuel gas stream in the combustion zone of the reformer in the presence of combustion oxidant, wherein the combustion chamber is configured to exchange heat with the reaction zone; and
g) introducing the syngas stream into a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) unit under conditions effective for producing a product hydrogen stream and a PSA off-gas stream.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-reformed fuel gas stream is dried in step d) using a process stream selected from the group consisting of combustion air, the PSA off-gas, the hydrocarbon gas stream, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the dry pre-reformed fuel gas stream is heated in step e) using a process stream selected from the group consisting of the hot flue gas, the syngas stream, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the second pre-reformer is a non-adiabatic pre-reformer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the pressure of the second pre-reformer is ranging from 1 to 3 bars.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the hydrocarbon is natural gas and the combustion oxidant is air.